Year 3 - Trip to Chelmsford Museum

On Thursday we went to Chelmsford Museum to learn more about the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. 

After a short coach journey, we arrived at the museum and went into one of their rooms to start our journey back in time. 

We learnt a lot during the course of the day and everyone was able to take part in the workshops provided. 

Here are some of the things we did and learnt. 

Cave painting

We looked at cave paintings as a means of communication, so we drew our own as if we were around in the Stone Age. We used natural pigments, charcoal and chalk. They didn't have any paintbrushes back then, so they used sticks of different thickness, which we did too.

Ask what colours we used and where those pigments would have come from?

Tools from the past

During this workshop we had the opportunity to grind our own oats and rice, as well use a bow drill to make a hole in stone, which they most probably used for jewellery. 

We were also able to spin some wool using a spindle and then weave it through more wool on a wooden loom board. 

Ask your child what they remember from this room?

Exhibit room

Here we explored some of the exhibits from the Stone Age. There were some replica items, such as a bronze sword. Here we had a little treasure hunt, finding more about the objects, what they were used for and what they were made from. 

Ask your child what they remember from this room?

Artefact handling

Here we were able to take a closer look at some artefacts. We could use our senses to explore them more and discuss with our partners what we thought they were and what they were used for. Then, the museum's curator explained what they actually were used for in more detail.

Ask you child if they can remember anything they handled at the musuem?

This day was incredibly beneficial in our learning about pre-history and the whole year group made our day extra interesting with their enthusiasm and inquisitiveness.